IT stymied me yet again!

Google's Blogspot has now changed the Gadget widget for the headers on their blogs (making it impossible to have a nice headers as before why does IT development alaways make things worse???) and I am particularly disappointed that despite 'googling a work around', I was faced with a lot of computer programming code (admittedly not my strongest area of expertise!) and I changed it exactly as specified and I got error code "400" so no picture headers sadly for now. Also my so called "smart phone can now no longer pick up 4G so i have to wait until I get back to home wifi before I get any news (What's app messages or Twitter). I googled this and it mentioned changing your mobile network to roaming but surely that could encur big charges? Any help or comments welcome on either problem.

Star birds do a bunk & saturation point at Minsmere?

Arriving at Minsmere on Sunday 27th June, later than scheduled at 10.30am. I walked over to the west side of the scrape & seeing Nick & his wife first he advised me to walk further than the south hide to look for the Roseates, I keep missing them at Minsmere over the last 10 years, (last one seen Minsmere 2011, last one seen Lowestoft North beach 2012, courtesy of Andrew) they've usually either not there or just flown out to sea. Would today be any different? Probably not! I walked around the west part of the scrape first seeing a fine Green Sandpiper from the West hide, walking along the side of channel ridge of a pool although a child running around the hide didn't lead to a mindfulness moment. Lots of Black- tailed Godwits seen too. I walked over to south hide, saw 2 Little Terns on the island in front and more Common Terns but no sign of any Roseates and I then walked slightly further south as Nick directed and just past a little bridge I had to wait for a non birding couple to vacate the spot I wanted to look out over the southern section of the scrape. I scanned for 45 minutes, there were lots of Common Terns, along the southern section around 100 Sandwich Terns seen too and around 30 adult Kittiwakes on an island. On a small island in front were a Little Tern and 2 winter plumaged grey Knot. Ringed Plover seen too. No sign of the Roseate. I also looked from the public hide and I could see a lone fine dusky Spotted Redshank just right of the post no.6 on the edge of an island and over the northern side of the East Scrape a wonderful tally of 14 dusky fully summer plumaged Spotted Redshanks, (with the extra singleton, 15 in total, a sight to behold, I was hoping they'd stay there when I arrived at the East Scrape hide but they had dispersed and around 5 seen dotted around the northern fringes of the Scrape here. On the bench step, 2 close Sandwich Terns and 3 adult Kittiwakes perched but flew before I could set the camera up. It was too windy for any Dartford's on the dunes (still need to see one for 2021) but I was delighted to pick up a fine tiny Green Tiger Beetle by the base of the Sand Martin cliffs just over the line of the electric fence, it favoured a white peeble. An interested couple came over and I showed then the beetle. Tiny and green with white spots on each wing and buffy near the thorax sadly I didn't have my macro lens camera as it was pretty close and would have made a good pic. Overall, there was a lot of people at Minsmere, mostly young families, it is good to get children into nature to carry on the "torch" but a young family were having a picnic where I had seen Adders in previous years and surely the sheer numbers of people is causing dune erosion and disturbance to sensitive species. It was good too to see reserve staff showing a young family a Bee Wolf colony and explaining their life style to their enthralled audience. I even saw someone walking their dog on the reserve it was on a lead but I thought dogs were banned from the reserve??? Although a large part of the beach was roped off and I am pleased to say a considerable part of the bushes between the hides was roped off too. Particularly galling to hear the Roseate was back on the south scrape this afternoon. It wasn't on there this morning.

Roller at Icklingham, Ibis and suncream at Lackford!!!

On Saturday 26th June after waiting since Wednesday to go for the gorgeous Roller that had turned up near Lackford and extreme west Suffolk. I did have the chance to go on Wednesday (my afternoon off) but I was unsure of exactly where to go and where to park until 6pm that day which would have left me with viewing of just 1 hour- 1 hour 30 mins). So on saturday I rose about 6pm and was already to go when news was updated on Bird Guides which I had to keep logging in and see Roller- Suffolk. Just under 2 hours time I pulled into the already 3/4 full Rampart's Field picnic site car (now practically full up with birders cars) and an easy half mile walk (hope my foot is finally getting better?) along the very busy and treacherous A road. I arrived safely along the southern edge of a vast field. The fantastic Roller was spotted immediately as soon I put my bins up and I could see it perched on the far field posts, very distant and definitely a scope job. Like a bloated "Jay" in shape, it had a wonderful blue turqouise body colour with warm russet brown in the wings and was a riot of coloutr when it flew. Again making short flights in to the air to catch insects and return to its fence piost at the back and promptly gulp down the unfortunate prey. This colourful southern Mediterranean visitor (my 10th this week, counting the 9 Bee-eaters at Great Yarmouth), eventually flew much closer to overhead power lines making it within range of the camera foa few shots. Craig S just appeared before it come closer (perfect timing Craig) and the Fergusons arrived and indeed the Roller was giving almost Ferguson views for us all. Really great to catch up with Craig S (we miss his company locally around Corton/ Lowestoft) and of Paul & Jane. The fine Roller had several sorties from the power lines often returning with prey (dragonflies, butterflies, bees) and devouring them promptly. It even landed on the ground several times often this was brief but one time it settled on the ground for several minutes although a little too far away for mu set up sadly. After about 2 hours at marvelling at this beauty, Paul & Jane F kindly allowed me to accompany them to Lackford Lakes SWT reserve, where at one hide, an erroneous sighting was made by someone in the hide where we saw a dark shape disappear behind a clump of flowering Yellow Flag iris. We all agreed we thought it was the Carrion Crow that was wandering around this area. Paul's hide we saw the fine but drab looking Glossy Ibis walking around the edge of the pool along a grassy spit where we eventually lost it behind a sprig of non- flowering Yellow Flag iris. We also saw a Common Tern flying around, Oystercatcher and 2 Grey Herons and heard several Cuckoos too. I had brought a container full of suncream with me but Jane spotted a great dollop of white stuff on the floor of the hide, thinking it was spilt ice cream looking at the contents of my left coat pocket revealed the true culprit, a burst suncream container which also messed up my lower left trouser leg and left walking boot. We all had a good laugh about this and we quickly left the hide. Apologies to the Lackford SWT staff who would have to clean that dollop up, I had literally had nothing with me to clear this up myself. At least I am fully paid up member of the SWT. On the walk back near reception, 2 single sightings of buzzing Hornets wheezed right past our faces, just in front of us.

A splash of Mediterranean colour behind Gapton Hall retail park

Sound a bit illegal and dodgy the title of this post but on Monday 21 June, incredibly Steve S had found an incredibly group of 9 Bee-eaters behind the Gapton Hall retail park, news broke late morning (This was flowing a report the previous Thursday of 2 near MacDonalds accompanied by a good pic of 2 birds sitting on power lines confirming this report) Obviously I had to go and a quickly covened lunchbreak, it was 12.30pm. I 'scooted' over and parked by TK Max and then took the rough road heading north turning left and left again past Docwra's. I joined a long 'throng' of birders scoping the birds in the distance in a bush roughly half way between us and Humblestone farm along Breydon south wall. Only problem was I had no optics with me whatsover, however I am indebted to the kind actions of good friends Carl B and Tony S who allowed me prolonged views of the birds, 9 fantastic Bee-eaters first in that bush and when they flew closer and settled on power lines and it was lovely to hear their chortling calls and view their outrageously colourful plumage, a real pick me up for those fortunate to see them. A real riot of colour with yellow, brown, turquoise, green all put into the mix to provide a real vision of pleasure! Also really good to see John H, Tommy, Peter A & Dick F. I didn't need optics however when they (the Bee-eaters not the esteemed company previously mentioned!) flew directly over us and towards the southern end of Gapton Hall retail disappeareing around where MacDoanlds is, sadly my time had elapsed and I had to get back from work, I joined Carl B but couldn't keep up with him as I was hobbling abit by this stage.

Dipped Rosie

Andrew E had found a RC Starling at Hamilton Dock and for 3 nights on the trot, I joined him, Julie, Rob H & Rob Wil to try and see it. First night, the bird had just dropped down from the harbour wall and out of sight, it flew west over to the ice house, spotted again by the ever vigilent Andrew but there were 2 groups of Starlings flying and I latched onto the wrong group of course! On all 3 nights several thousand usually in groups of 30- 50 would fly in. All 3 nights we heard a Black Redstart singing from across the dock, second night a fine male Black Redstart was seen in the dock along the harbour wall.

Collared Pratincole at Carlton Marshes

On day, June, for a change I went to Southwold and it was really nice to see Brian S and catch up with him a pleasant walk around the marshes revealed a couple of Sedge Warblers and a Yellowhammer. I should have looked around the Town marshes too as Brian S (bird magnet no.1) had a Collared Pratincole fly through. It was then incredibly picked up by bird magnets 2 & 3 Andrew ACE E and Carl B. They put the news out and it was yet another hobble down to the far western end of Peto's Marsh. I was joined by Steve and we walked down pausing only to see a male Scarce Chaser on the way down and a couple of Wall browns in the usual spot on the river walk past Peto's. Joining a small throng of birders including Carl B, Ali R, Andrew E, Phil D, Julie etc. and the "person" who had been so nasty and vindictive to me on social media at Kessingland recently spreading slanderous lies on my supposed actions (impossible with my current affliction) that person, seeing I was amongst friends, soon left. He even asked me where the Wall browns and I told him (I didn't realise it was him at the time because I probably wouldn't divulged any information to him whatsover). Back to the birds, the fantastic Collared Pratincole quickly flew up from around the middle of the scrape showing the chestnut secondaries and I got a glimpse of part of the white trailing edge. It flew around again then settling in the same area behind and island and just out of sight. At one point during one of its sorties it flew almost overhead and again part of the white secondaries seen. Through the gate a male Scarce Chaser seen. On another fly around the Collared Pratincole. I am very proud of the fact this is my second Collared Pratincole having discovered one on the drive up to Rackham's corner along the A1117 at Blundeston but also extremely sad that 2 dear friends the late Ricky F and the late Ian S, had seen this bird fly over their respective gardens a few days earlier, they are both very sadly missed. An honourable mention must be made of Andrew E and Rob Wil who had almost certainly heard this bird call in fields to the west of Corton NSW, so it is fitting that Andrew jointly found the second of Lowestoft and I proudly welcome Andrew and Carl to the Lowestoft Collared Pratincole finders club! Finally for me the Collared Pratincole had a big fly around the marsh and then flew north and disappeared over the bund only for it to eventually come back, which I saw when I finally left. I decided to walk to the sluice and saw some Damselflies and a Banded Demoiselle.

Walberswick Red- foot & 'Angels of the woods'

On Sunday 6 June, the fine immature male Red- footed Falcon (with sooty grey plumage & brick red around the thighs and slightly smaller an squatter than the more angular slightly larger Hobbies). The Red- foot was seen in flight along the west end of Westwood marshes reached from the path running west from the dilapidated wind pump plus at least 5 Hobbies, Buzzard and 2 Marsh Harrier, Bearded Tit, pothole between Walberwick & Hoist Covert. Towards the end of the observation the bird came much closer and goodviews were At a Suffolk wood, saw Sam who very kindly showed me where the 2 Butterfly Orchids were, plus 5 Birds Nest Orchids, further back. Back at Sotterley Chapel, it had clouded up & the Spotted Flycatchers were heard but not seen but 3 Common Twayblades seen at the back of the cemetery. Again no sign of the Turtle Doves nearby.

Spotted Flycatchers

On Saturday 5 June, a look at Carlton Marshes, predictably failed to see the Purple Heron, met Andrew E on the walk up and he pointed out an area were Wall Browns seen, 2 males spiralling up. Birds seen, a Common tern perched on the island plus a family of Coot with coot chicks and Avocets, plus an odd looking Buzzard which appeared slightly bigger than normal, holding its wings level (rather than raised in a "v" shape, with the primaries turned up at the tip, otherwise markings were Buzzard. Saw Ali, Phil D and the abusive/ aggressive 'person' from 28 May, although I didn't know it at the time (otherwise I wouldn't have told him about the Wall Browns which he missed on the way up and he saw on his way back). I saw one on the way there and the same 2 males spiralling up from the exact same spot. One of the males was regularly returning to the same spot or the yellow flower by the edge. Sad to see someone cycling along this path narrowly missed squashing the Wall Brown (it flew up just in the nick of time). Walking back near the another 2 Wall Brown seen. Spotted Flycatcher 3 at Sotterley Chapel, 1 where I parked and 2 along the eastern end of the Churchyard plus 2 Orange Tip, no sign of Turtle Dove nearby & no sign of RFFalcon from Westwood Lodge. Not sure where to go for the RBShrike nearby.

Wally the Walrus again at La Rochelle, Brittany, France

On Wednesday 2nd June, pictoral evidence of Wally the justifiably very popular wandering Walrus, sitting in a tiny boat in the the port of La Rochelle, Brittany, France, perhaps wanting to hitch a lift back north?!

Holly Blue again in the garden

Delighted to see the Holly Blue again in the garden today, Wednesday 2nd June.

Holly Blue in garden

On Saturday 29th May I was delighted to see a Holly Blue finally in the garden for this year.

Woodchat Shrike at Benacre sluice

After work on Friday 28th May, I parked in the mobile caravan park and walked up to Kessingland sluice, couldn't see anybody there initially so I hobbled over to the Benacre sluice side and a birder motioned me over and walking behind him I joined him and had good scope views of the fine Woodchat Shrike initially perched on the left bside of a bush in the clump of bushes along the western edge of the sluice. The Shrike then disappeared then seen even further away perched on top of a flowering bush. I decided to slowly hobble back. A female Wheatear was seen on the grassy area by the now much diminished pit (half the size it usually is). I also saw several Linnets including an impressive double pink bibbed male which was particularly striking by the bush near the shore edge. Hobbling over to the Kessingland side, sticking to the main path, I first saw Chris D and he was very fortunate to see a wonderfully Hobby fly right over his head and south. From the main path, I saw the Woodchat Shrike perched on top a bush around 30 metres away, I stood still by the main path & it flew towards me perching only 10 metres away from me, sadly the bird was obscured by an overhanging bramble branch but I stayed stock still as I didn't want to move, in order not to disturb the bird, so no pics, but it soon flew again (it appeared to be hunting) and I lost it from view. A "person" was gesturing" the other side of the sluice indicating I should move east (???) (I was still on the main path) so I moved east sticking to the main path and I only checked the bushes from distance by the sluice pumping station, but not seeing anything, I hobbled back. By now my foot was really sore and I eventually made my way back to the car. After this I had to rest my foot for the next few days, so birding trips completely curtailed sadly.